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The text discusses Albert Durer's extensive exploration of human proportions, specifically highlighting his guidance on using varying numbers of head lengths to determine figure height. Durer's approach entails manipulating proportions, particularly the head, to achieve figures of different head counts while maintaining a consistent line-based height. The text also details the proportional relationships of the body's main sections: the trunk, thigh, and leg, emphasizing that natural design supports the upper body.

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English Translation of this page:

Drawing.

Proportions according to Albert Durer.

Albert Durer has discussed human proportions so extensively that it is almost impossible to follow his reasoning thoroughly. Therefore, we will only briefly note here that he defines four different proportions: figures of seven heads, eight, nine, and even ten heads, noting that the face should always occupy the tenth part. By enlarging all limbs proportionally and giving a bit more height and size to the head, he forms his figure of seven heads. Similarly, by reducing the head and proportionally lightening the other limbs, the figure can be nine or ten heads tall; however, these four different proportions are always based on a line or rule of the same height.

He observes that there are three main parts that maintain a correct proportion among themselves. The trunk is the first: it is measured from the clavicles to the hip joints. The second includes the thigh bone up to the knee joint, and the third extends from the leg bone to the ankle or foot joint. This last one is the smallest of the three, which increase in proportion, so that the lowest parts of the figure are the shortest. It seems that nature's creator intended it this way, so they have more strength to support the upper parts. Thus, the thigh bone is half a fortieth longer than the leg bone; that is, one eightieth of the total height of the figure, and the body, from the hip joints to the clavicles, is longer than the thigh bone.